Tips 1: Talk to an adult you trust
Depression is not your fault, you did nothing to cause it. However, you do have the option to control and alleviate the bad symptoms and feelings that come with depression. The first step is to seek help.
Talk about depression with someone
Your parents can't seem to help, especially when they are always nagging you or are angry about your behavior. The truth is that parents hate seeing their children get hurt, and they may feel anxious and sad because they don’t know what you are doing or how to help.
· If your parents abuse you in any way, or if their own problems make it difficult for them to take care of you, find another adult you trust (such as relatives, teachers or counselors, etc.). This person can help you contact your parents or guide you to get the support you need.
· If you really don’t have someone to talk to, there are many psychological assistance hotlines, psychological public welfare services and psychological assistance centers that can help.
· Anyway, please talk to someone, especially if you have any thoughts that hurt yourself or others. Seeking help is the bravest thing you can do and the first step to make you feel better.
The importance of accepting and sharing your feelings
New concept psychology expert Professor Rong Xinqi said that it can be difficult to disclose your feelings, especially when you feel depressed, ashamed or worthless. It is important to remember that many people sometimes struggle with this feeling, but that doesn't mean you are weak, fundamentally flawed or useless. Accepting your feelings and opening up with the people you trust will make you feel less lonely.
Although you may not feel it now, people do love you and care about you. If you can muster up the courage to talk about your depression, it can and will be resolved. Some people think talking about sadness can make them worse, but on the contrary, it is very helpful to be in attending to listen and care about the people you say to share your concerns. They don't need to be able to "fix" you, they just need to be a good listener.
Tips 2: Try not to isolate yourself - this will worsen depression
Depression causes patients to retreat into our shell. You may not want to meet anyone or do anything, and sometimes it can be difficult to get up in the morning, but isolating yourself can only make depression worse.
Therefore, Professor Rong emphasized that even if this is the last thing you want to do, try to force yourself to stay social. As you enter the outside world and connect with others, you may find yourself starting to feel better.
·Settle time to communicate face to face with friends who make you feel good —especially those who are positive, optimistic and understanding. Avoid being with people who abuse drugs or alcohol, cause trouble, or make you feel uncomfortable or unsafe.
· Participate in activities you like (or are used to). It seems to be difficult to attend some activities when you feel depressed, but if you do, you will feel better. Choose activities you like in the past, whether it is sports, art, dance or music classes, or interest clubs. You may not have motivation at first, but when you start engaging again, your mood and enthusiasm will begin to improve.
·Volunteering services. Helping others is a powerful antidepressant and happiness booster. Volunteering for the cause you love and admire can help you reconnect with others and the world and satisfy you know you are working.
·Reduce your network usage time. Although it seems that "traveling" online will temporarily relieve depression symptoms, it will actually make you feel worse.For example, making negative comparisons to your peers on social media will only fuel your feelings of depression and isolation. Remember: people always exaggerate the positive aspects of their lives online, ignoring the difficulties and setbacks we all have experienced. Even if you are just interacting with friends online, it cannot replace face-to-face contact. Eye contact, hug, or even a simple physical contact with a friend will change your feelings.
Tips 3: Develop healthy living habits
Professor Rong said that developing healthy living habits can greatly improve your mood and depression symptoms. It turns out that a correct and healthy diet, regular exercise and adequate sleep have a great impact on depression.
·Move! In fact, many scientific studies have shown that you can get a lot of endorphin from exercise, which will make you feel happier immediately. Exercise exercise is as helpful as medication or psychotherapy for depression, so you can choose to run, cycling, or practice dancing. Any activity helps! If you don’t feel good, start with a short walk every day and find your favorite exercise method.
·Healthy diet. An unhealthy diet can make you feel dull and tired, which can aggravate the symptoms of depression. Junk food, refined carbohydrate and sugary snacks are the culprits! They may make you feel a little pleasant for the moment, but in the long run, they will make you feel worse. Therefore, you should eat a lot of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, and you can also discuss with your parents, attending physician or psychological counselor how to ensure your diet is nutritious.
·Avoid drinking and smoking. You may want to drink or smoke to escape your emotions and get "emotional boost" even if it's only a short time. However, in the long run, substance use only makes depression worse than it causes. Drinking and smoking can also increase the feeling of suicide. If you are addicted to alcohol or nicotine, please seek help from a professional as soon as possible. In addition to any treatment you receive for your depression, you also need special treatments for your substance addiction problem.
·Strive to sleep for eight hours every night. Adolescent depression is often accompanied by sleep problems. Whether you sleep too little or too much, your emotions will be affected. However, you can get better sleep duration and quality by developing healthy sleep habits.
Tips 4: Manage stress and anxiety
Professor Rong said that for many teenagers, stress and anxiety may be closely related to depression.
Relaxed stress, suspicion or fear can weaken your emotional energy, affect your physical health, make your anxiety levels soar, and cause or exacerbate depression. If you suffer from anxiety, it will show up in many ways. Maybe you endure a strong anxiety attack without warning, panic at the thought of answering questions in class, experience uncontrollable intrusive thoughts, or live in constant worry. Since anxiety can worsen depression (and vice versa), it is important to get help in both cases.
Tips for managing stress
Manage stress in life, first of all, determine the source of stress:
1. For example, if the exam or course looks overwhelming, talk to a teacher or school counselor, or find a way to improve the way of time management.
2. If you have health issues that you cannot discuss with your parents, such as physiological changes during adolescence or medication issues, please go to the clinic for medical treatment or see a doctor. A health professional can guide you in the proper treatment (and help you contact your parents if necessary).
3. If you are struggling to adapt or deal with relationships, friendships or family difficulties, discuss your issues with your school counselor or professional psychological counselor and therapist.
4. If your own negative thoughts and long-term worries cause your daily stress levels to rise, you can take steps to get rid of your habits and re-control your worries. Professor Rong said exercise, mindfulness meditation, muscle relaxation and breathing exercises are all good ways to cope with and relieve stress.
